[Federal Register: August 13, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 156)]
[Notices]
[Page 48334-48335]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13au03-24]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Docket Number TM-03-06]
National Organic Program; Nominations for Peer Review Panel
Technical Expert
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Organic Foods Production Act (Act) of 1990, as amended (7
U.S.C. 6516) permits the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National
Organic Program (NOP) to establish a peer review panel to evaluate the
NOP's accreditation program. This notice calls for nominations for a
technical expert to serve on the peer review panel.
DATES: Written nominations, with resumes, must be postmarked on or
before September 12, 2003.
ADDRESSES: Nominations should be sent to Ms. Katherine E. Benham,
Agricultural Marketing Information Assistant, USDA-AMS-TMP-NOP, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW., Room 4008-S, Ag Stop 0268, Washington, DC
20250-0268, and to Mr. Reinaldo B. Figueiredo, Program Director,
Conformity Assessment, American National Standards Institute, 1819 L
Street NW., 6th Floor, Washington DC 20036.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Jones, Director, Program
Development, National Organic Program, 1400 Independence Ave., SW.,
Room 4008-S, Ag Stop 0268, Washington, DC 20250-0268; Telephone: (202)
720-3252; Fax: (202) 205-7808; e-mail: keith.jones@usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Act permits the Administrator of the
Agricultural Marketing Service to establish a peer review panel. Under
the Act's implementing regulations (7 CFR 205.509) the peer review
panel is to be composed of not less than 3 members who shall evaluate
the National Organic Program's adherence to the accreditation
procedures in subpart F of the regulations and International
Organization for Standards/International Electro-technical Commission
(ISO/IEC) Guide 61, General requirements for assessment and
accreditation of certification/registration bodies, and the National
Organic Program's accreditation decisions. This analysis is to be
accomplished through the review of accreditation procedures, document
review and site evaluation reports, and accreditation decision
documents or documentation. The peer review panel is required to report
its findings, in writing, to the NOP Program Manager.
The NOP has selected the American National Standards Institute
(ANSI) to perform an assessment using the accreditation procedures at 7
CFR 205.500-205.510 and ISO/IEC Guide 61. In addition to the
regulations and guidelines, ANSI's assessment method will utilize ISO
19011, Guidelines for quality and/or environmental management system
audit and the International Accreditation Federation (IAF) policies and
procedures for a multilateral recognition arrangement on the level of
accreditation bodies and on the level of regional groups (Issue 3--
Version 4).
The ANSI was selected by the NOP to perform this peer review
assessment because of its world-wide credibility, knowledgeable and
professional staff and performance of accreditation activities similar
in size and scope to those undertaken by the NOP. ANSI has accredited
36 product certification programs for a variety of scopes and 2
personnel certification bodies in the U.S. and abroad. In addition,
ANSI is the sole U.S. representative and dues-paying member of the
International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and, via the U.S.
National Committee (USNC), the International Electro-technical
Commission (IEC). Further, ANSI is a member of the International
Accreditation Forum (IAF), and the sole U.S. accreditation body for
product and personnel certifiers in this international forum. Finally,
at the regional level, ANSI is a member of Inter-American Accreditation
Cooperation (IAAC) and also Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (PAC).
The ANSI Registrar Accreditation Board (RAB) National Accreditation
Program (NAP) is the U.S. signatory to the IAF Multilateral Recognition
Arrangement for Quality and Environment Management Systems.
Assessment Team and Time Requirements
The assessment team will consist of three individuals; (1) an ANSI
provided lead assessor trained in ISO/IEC Guide 61, (2) an ANSI
provided assessor trained in ISO/IEC Guide 61, and (3) a NOP technical
expert.
The timetable for the assessment is expected to require 4 days for
preparation for the assessment, 6 days for assessment at USDA's
Washington headquarters, 3 days for witness assessments at offices of
USDA accredited certification bodies and 3 days for completion of the
post-evaluation report. Completion of this report will be the
responsibility of the lead assessor. The assessment process is expected
to begin 60 days after the publication of this notice.
Minimum Skills and Experience Requirements
Candidates for the technical expert position must have demonstrable
experience in working in team environments, possess excellent verbal
and written communication skills (including use of electronic document
formats), and demonstrate the ability to work under pressure and meet
strict deadlines. Candidates must have demonstrable knowledge of
organic production and handling methods and certification procedures.
Preferred experience includes demonstrable knowledge of the NOP
regulations (7 CFR 205 et seq.), ISO/IEC Guide 61 and ISO/IEC Guide 65.
An understanding of how the ISO/IEC documents apply to public
institutions is also preferred.
Candidates should submit their qualifications in a resume or
curriculum vita format along with two examples of technical writing. In
addition to this information, candidates should submit, if applicable,
a ``declaration of interests'' list. This list should state all direct
commercial, financial, consulting, family, or personal relationships
that currently exist or have existed during the past 12 months. The
technical expert will be required to recuse him/herself from the review
of files of organizations with whom he/she have
[[Page 48335]]
had direct interests in the preceding 12 months.
Compensation/Professional Conduct
The NOP technical expert will be a sub-contractor to ANSI.
Therefore, compensation for the technical expert including hourly rates
and travel and per diem reimbursement will be determined by direct
negotiations between ANSI and the NOP technical expert. In addition to
the requirement of recusing him/herself from the assessment process as
discussed above, the technical expert will be required to abide by all
ANSI requirements concerning professional conduct.
Dated: August 7, 2003.
A.J. Yates,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 03-20539 Filed 8-12-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P